Thomas awoke. The sky was still dark and the stars were still out. Owls hooted and crickets chirped. Thomas couldn't sleep. The events of the day were swirling around in his head, if indeed it could be called a head. Also the nap he'd taken earlier that day wasn't helping. He was trying to collect his thoughts, and Gordon's snoring wasn't helping. James was also talking in his sleep. Something about having a wash down.

Thomas tried to drift back off to sleep. He had strange half conscious dreams. Most of which were based off the sounds he was hearing. James drowning in the wash down, Gordon using his snore as a musical instrument in an orchestra, and other weird stuff.

Thomas finally gave up on sleeping and began thinking about Sir Topham Hatt and Lady Hatt again. He questioned why people got married if they were just going to end up getting a divorce. He guessed it was because of love. But then again, what was love? Thomas was having a hard time understanding the concept. And Gordon's outrageous snoring was not helping the situation. Thomas wished he could just get away from all the noise. He couldn't think with all the annoying sounds. Now Edward was snoring, Emily was snoring, everyone was snoring!

Then Thomas got an idea. What... What if he went out for a little drive? On his own... What might happen? Scenes of the time he crashed into the station master's house flooded into his mind. Reminding him of the foolishness of his idea. But that was a long time ago, he was a lot younger and more inexperienced then. Besides, that wasn't really his fault, it was fire lighter's. But Sir Topham Hatt had still blamed it on him. Thomas was upset at the way they engine always got blamed for things they had no control over.

Yes. Yes, he would do it. He didn't care if he had once crashed into a station master's house, he didn't care if people blamed him for their mistakes, he didn't care that this was a foolish idea! He wanted to free, free like humans!

Thomas stoped, realizing he had just made a nice little speech to himself. To bad no one else would hear it. The time was now. He took a deep breath. Then tried to move. But he couldn't. Slightly taken aback he tried again. Still no movement. Thomas was puzzled. Why wasn't it working? Then he realized. His firebox was out, and he didn't have any steam.

"Bust my buffers." Thomas mumbled to himself. "Now what?"

Thomas couldn't do anything without steam, or could he? Thomas wanted so desperately to be able to move. Maybe he was going at it the wrong way. He was trying to move under stream... what if, he tried using muscle? He knew he had muscle in his face, but did he have it other places? What if he could move on his own, without steam power? After all he was able to stop. Or at least he thought.

"Enough thinking!" Thomas said to himself. "It's time for action!"

So Thomas tried turning his wheels. He tried and he tried, he put all his energy into it. His face went red, he breath caught in his throat. But then it happened. His wheels squeaked, then turned ever so slowly. Then faster, faster, til' Thomas was traveling at remarkable 0.5 miles per hour! Well, remarkable for the fact the he was doing it under his own strength.

Thomas stoped exhausted. But he was also exhilarated. He had done it he had really done it!

"Thomas how!?" Gordon blurted out.

Thomas startled, quickly glanced over at Gordon.

"How could you do this to me." Snored Gordon. "That express is mine."

Thomas gave a sigh of relief. It was just Gordon sleep talking. Thomas thought for second that Gordon had seen him. He could hardy believe that he had actually done it himself!

Thomas was tired from new physical exertion. Tired but happy. He had succeeded in his quest to move, though be it by only 5 feet. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself. He was happy for the first time since that morning. And with that satisfaction, he drifted happily off to sleep.


Cock-a-doodle-doo! A rooster crowed. The morning was bright and crisp. Thomas woke up to the sound of arguing.

"It is a bottle of parchment!" Snorted James.

"No." started Gordon. "parchment is a type of paper, not a cleaning product!"

"No, parchment is a brand of shampoo!" Insisted James.

"Will you two stop being crab pots?" Emily said.

They ignored her.

"I've told you before James and I'm not going to say it again, parchment is not for taking a wash with!" Weashed Gordon.

"What are you two arguing about?" Thomas said groggily.

"Oh James is being a dumbbell. He thinks that parchment is a type of cleaning product." Gordon said.

"So? Why are you arguing with him? If he wants to be stupid that's his choice." Snapped Thomas.

The whole shed went silent. Then everyone burst out laughing. Even the drivers and the firemen laughed at what Thomas had said.

"It's not that funny." James pouted.

Just then Sir Topham Hatt drove up in his car and got out.

"Good morning everyone." Sir Topham Hatt started. "Good news, we able to get some of the communication lines up and running again. So hopefully if all goes well there won't be any more confusion and delay.

The engines cheered at the good news.

"Right, now you all know the jobs you half to do. So get out there a be really useful engines." Sir Topham Hatt said.

The engines started heading out. Sir Topham Hatt walked over to Thomas.

"Thomas." He started. "I'm afraid that Bob is still in the hospital. As it turns out he ruptured his spleen throwing up so much, and it will be a while before he'll be well enough to return. So, I've hired a temporary replacement for him. Thomas, meet Jonny."

Thomas stared in disbelief as a scrawny dude with too long of hair which was quite unkept trudged over to Sir Topham Hatt, stumbling and tripping over the tracks as he went. Was this guy drunk!? Thomas thought.

"Jonny is going to be your driver until Bob has recovered." Said the Fat Controller. "Trust me, this guy is the best man for the job. You might not even want Bob back after seeing how he does!"

Jonny stood there in front of Thomas staring at nothing in particular. His toothy grin and glasses made him look just as nerdy as he did dumb. Thomas had bad feeling about this dude. It would probably be better Keith was the driver and this sack of potatoes was the fireman. Sir Thomas Hatt would probably never consent to that though.

"Well," Said the Fat Controller. "I gotta scram. See you two later!"

And with that Sir Topham Hatt trudged back to his car and zoomed away.

"Well." Said Jonny. "Lethz get ta work."

Jonny climbed aboard Thomas and started fiddling with the controls.

"What are you doing?" Asked Thomas.

"Oh I'z just vworm'n thins up!" Jonny said.

"Uh that's not warming things up." Said Thomas concerned. "Your just tampering. Do you even know how to drive an engine?"

"Vhy a course I do!" Spluttered Jonny. "Uh maybe you could remind me?"

"Good grief." Thought Thomas. "What was Sir Topham Hatt thinking hiring this guy!? He is in no way qualified for this job!"

Just then Keith walked over. He nodded at Thomas then climbed into his cab without saying word, as if everything was back to normal.

"Uhh, who's is you?" Said Jonny.

"I'm Keith. I take it your the temporary replacement for Bob?" Asked Keith.

"Who's Bob?" Blabbered Jonny. "Besides, drive'n this here choo choo is my's job. So's you can just get lost.

"Uh, I'm the fireman." Replied Keith.

"who?" Asked Jonny. "What's a fireman?"

Thomas couldn't believe his ears. This guy didn't know anything about engines, much less how to drive one. Keith at this point had figured out the same thing.

"Are you sure you're qualified to be a driver?" Questioned Keith.

"Vhy of course!" Said Jonny confidently. "I wouldn't av got'n hired it I didinent know noth'n."

"Maybe I should drive and you can be the fireman." Said Keith.

Thomas thought that was a very sensible idea. Jonny however was having none of it.

"I's can drive this hunk of junk just fine." Stated Jonny.

Keith spluttered, shocked that Jonny had just called Thomas junk. "Uh Thomas is not a hunk of junk." Retorted Keith. "He's a useful and reliable engine. If anything you're the one who's junk!

Jonny was stunned, then enraged. "How's daring you tell me I'm hunk. I mean junk! I'm telling your boss!" Jonny said angrily. He got out of Thomas and stomped off.

"So I guess we just wait?" Said Keith. "Can't really do anything without a driver."

Thomas agreed. He wished Bob was back. Even though he didn't particularly like having to be operated by humans, It still just wouldn't be the same without Bob.

Less then 30 minutes later Sir is Hatt came stomping back with Jonny and another man right behind him.

"Keith Wickham!" Boomed Sir Topham Hatt. "What's this I hear about you bad mouthing my son!?"

"Son?" Thought Thomas. "Did he just call him son?"

"Wait, Jonny's your son?" Keith asked surprised.

"Of course!" Said Sir Topham Hatt. "Who did you think he was? Just some bum I dragged off the street?"

"Of course that's what we thought." Thomas said to himself. "No wonder we've never seen Sir Topham Hatt's children before. It's because their all like this!"

"I'm sorry Sir." Said Keith.

"It's too late to be sorry!" Said Sir Topham Hatt. "I'm firing you!"

A sinking feeling hit Thomas and Keith, like they'd had a rock tied around their neck (or smoked box), and been tossed into the sea. It was feeling of dread and of no return.

Keith hung his head. He nodded and climbed out of Thomas's cab. He had no choice but to comply with Sir Topham Hatt's orders. As Sir Topham Hatt watched he gathered what few belongings he had with him. He could hardly believe this was actually happening. Finally there was nothing left to do but leave. He looked back at Thomas. There was remorse in his eyes. Even though his job was strange, there was still a certain bond between an engine and its crew. It felt as if he was loosing a friend. With that Keith turned and walked away. Most likely never to be seen again.

Thomas didn't know how to feel about the situation. He had now not only lost his driver, but now his fireman too. Engines may not be very friendly with their crew, but they could always rely on them for anything they needed. Now Thomas's crew was gone, and he would be getting a totally new one.